International Humanitarian Law

Course Description

This seminar offers an introduction to international humanitarian law, the body of law regulating armed conflicts. It retraces its evolution, focusing on efforts to mitigate human suffering in war and on the protection of civilians. It considers the challenges posed to the application of IHL by the changing nature of armed conflicts. The topics discussed include: the principles underpinning IHL, the definition and types of armed conflicts, the distinction between combatants and civilians, the regulation of private military and security companies, humanitarian action during armed conflict, the use of child-soldiers, rape as a ‘weapon of war,’ and other war crimes.

Basic Enrollment Requirements: Unofficial Transcript - Bachelor's + 3.0 GPA. 

Refund Policy: The refund policy for Courses at Tufts offerings is dependent on the course length. Please refer to the section details to confirm any exceptions to the standard refund policy. The refund policies are viewable here: https://universitycollege.tufts.edu/policies#Refunds  

Remission Eligible: Yes; first day of term; all university policies apply.